Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

J. & W. KANE. I

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGI ISHER.

Patgent'ed Oct. 10, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KANE AND WILLIAM KANE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-'EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,827, dated October 10, 1882,

Application filed June 9, 1882. (No model.)

Flo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN KANE and VVIL- LIAM KANE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Automatic Fire-Ilxtinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to certain improvements, fully described hereinafter, in that-class of automatic fire-extinguishers by which water from a supply under pressure is' discharged when fusible alloy which confines a valve to its seat is melted by the heat of an accidental fire in the room in which the extinguisher is situated; and the main objects of our invention are, first, to so construct an instrument of this class that the water shall be distributed over an extended area and the avenue for the escape of water shall not beliable to bechoked up; and, second, to insure the full opening of the valve as soon as the fusible alloy which serves to confine thesame is sufficiently melted to permit any movement of the valvestem.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of our improved tire-extinguisher; Fig. 2, an exterior View; Fig. 3, a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, an inverted plan view of the distributer; Fig. 5, a sectional view illustrating a modification of our invention, and Fig. 6 a plan view of the distribnter shown in Fig. 5.

The valve-chest A is constructed for attachment to a pipe communicating with a supply of water under pressure, the chest having in the present instance a central threaded branch, a, for this purpose. a seat,b,for the valve D, the spindle (l of which is guided by a tube, E, having wings e c, by which it is attached to the interior of the chest; or the guiding-tube may be otherwise connected thereto.

' convex-form, and has on its under side curved orinclined vanesf, as shown in Fig. 4.

To the upper en d of the valve-stem is adapted a plug, 9, forked at the top for the reception of a spring, J, one'end ot'which is hooked to alug,

\Vithin the valve-chest is 71., on the val ve-casing A. The opposite end of the spring is connected to an arm, m, on the chest through the medium of metal or alloy or other material fusible at a given temperature, so that in case of a fire in the room containing one or more of the fireextinguishers the melting of the alloy by the heat will release the valve, the latter being instantly moved from its seat by the pressure of water. The escaping. water strikes the distributor, which moves away from the chest as far as a collar, n, on the tube E will permit, and becomes the medium by which an extended distribution of the water is etfected.

The shank of the valve D or the plug g, or both, should be threaded a nd adaptedto threaded openings in the stem (1, so that by turning said valve or stem after the spring J has been secured to the arm m a further tightening of the valve to its seat may be effected. The first effect of the water when the valve is moved away from its seat is to effectually cleanse the interior of the distributer, which has no contracted passages for the lodgment ot' obstructions.

It is not essential that the distributor should be of the precise shape shown in Fig.1. It may, for instance, be coneshaped, or even fiat, instead of rounded; but it should be provided with vanes on which the water can act in the same manner as on the blades ot'a flutter-wheel, or should be furnished with inclined slots through which the water can escape, so as to insure the etirective distribution of the water and the rapid rotation of thedistributcr. We consider the slots to be the equivalent of the vanes, as they effect the same result in substantially the same way.

In Figs. 5 and 6 we have shown a modified form of the device, in which such inclined slots take the place of the vanes shown in Figs. 1 and 4. In this modification the valve-chest and distributer occupy positions the reverse of those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a loose cap, 1), is employed to prevent the access of dust or other foreign matter to the distributer. This cap is guided on the valvestem, and is thrown off by the escaping water as soon as the valve D is opened. The valve does not begin to move until the end of the spring J has been released by the melting of the alloy,and the valve then ICO opens instantly to its full extent, there being no retardation on account of the spring, the tendency of which is to fly offin the direction of the arrow as soon as its end is released from the arm m.

It should be understood that although we have referred to fusible alloy in the foregoing specification we include in this term any material which will suflice to retain the valve in its placeand melt under a given temperature, so as to release the valve.

We claim as our invention 1. The combination, in an automatic fire-extinguisher, of the following elements, namely: a valve-chest, A, having an inlet for receiving Water under pressure; a valve having a seat in the chest; a device by which the valve may be maintained in a closed condition through the medium of fusible material, and a vaned distributer, G, adapted to be rotated by the action of the water when the valve is released, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the valve-chest, the valve and its stem, the spring J, connected to the casing by a fusible joint, and the distributer G, adapted to be acted upon-and rotated by the escaping water, as set forth.

3. The combination of the valve-casing, the valve D, the stem (1, the spring J, and a screwconnection, substantially as described,whereby the valve can be adjusted after the spring has been secured in place, as set forth.

4. The combination ot'the valve-chest A, the valve D, the valve-stem d, a retaining device thereforhavingafusiblejoint,thetubularguide E, having anutyn, and the distributer Gr, adapted to slide on said guide, as set forth.

5. The combination of the valve-chest having a lug, h, and arm m, the valve D and its stem d, the distributer G, and the spring J, hooked to the lug h, and connected to the arm m by a fusible joint, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

JOHN KANE. \VILLIAM KANE.

Witnesses:

HARRY DRURY, HARRY SMITH. 

